Hiperantha (Hyperanthoides) pikachu sp. nov.

(Figs 1 – 18)

Type locality. Brasil, Bahia, Prado, restinga da Praia da Lagoa Grande.

Type material (3 males, 2 females). Male holotype: “ BRASIL, Bahia, Prado, restinga da / praia da Lagoa Grande. / 17.309314°S 39.221635°W / 7m. a.s.l. 31.x.2019. / Net Aerial (flying 10:30 am) / A.H.B.Rosa leg. ” // “ HOLOTYPE / Hiperantha pikachu / Pineda & Barros” [red label printed] (MZUEL). Paratypes: 2 males and 2 females, same data as holotype // “ PARATYPE / Hiperantha pikachu / Pineda & Barros” [yellow label printed] (1 pair CPCP; 1 pair MZUEL).

Differential diagnosis. Hiperantha pikachu sp. nov. is similar to Hiperantha decorata (Gory, 1841) in having pronotum with a small black spot near each posterior angle of the pronotum; abdomen black, except for small yellow spots in the middle of the abdominal ventrites. H. pikachu is distinguished as follows (H. decorata characters in brackets): coloration yellow decorated with black (coloration red decorated with black); elytral apex broadly edged with black (elytral apex with or without spots); elytra without lateral bands (elytra with or without lateral bands). Pronotum with transversal spot small covering 1/3-1/4 of its surface (pronotum with transversal spot more extended and usually fused with the spots of the posterior angles); transversal spot generally with posterior margin not markedly emarginated (transversal spot with posterior margin markedly emarginated).

Description. Holotype male: Total length, 26 mm; prothorax length, 9.28 mm; prothorax width at its widest point, 4.53 mm; elytral length, 21 mm; humeral width, 9.14 mm. Dorsal surface shining with glabrous appearance but when examined with a lens the whole surface is seen to be covered with inconspicuous short setae.

Coloration. Head black. Pronotum and elytra yellow with black pattern. Ventral side of prothorax yellow excluding around procoxa where it is black. Scutellum yellow. Abdomen bluish black with yellow spots. Setae light yellow.

Head. Coarsely punctate with rounded punctures separated by about 1-2 puncture diameters. Frons moderately pilose with setae long and erect. Antennae with antennomeres 1–4 subcylindrical; 5-11 expanded apicolaterally.

Pronotum. 2.1 times as wide as long, broader than elytra at base, with sides abruptly narrowed from basal third to apex. Pronotal pattern consisting of a large transversal median spot and a small spot near each posterior angle. Finely punctate with punctures separated by about 1-5 puncture diameters, pubescence composed of very short inconspicuous setae, becoming more evident anteriorly specially near the head.

Scutellum. Pentagonal, 1.07 times longer than wide, practically glabrous and impunctate aside from few scattered punctures.

Elytra. 2.3 times as long as wide. Finely punctate with punctures very sparsely distributed, separated by about 4-8 or more times their own diameter. Elytral pattern composed of a single W-shaped fascia covering the apical fourth. Striae formed by rows of rounded punctures; even interstriae convex from base to apex, odd ones flat at base becoming convex at the posterior two-thirds. Apex rounded and strongly dentate apical margin, with eight teeth on each elytron, of which the two most apical are stouter and longer than the rest.

Venter. Finely punctate as dorsal surface; pubescence dense and conspicuous with longer setae than those of dorsal surface. Prosternum forming a conical projection in the middle of the anterior margin. Abdominal ventrites II, III and IV each with a small, rounded spot in the middle; posterior margin of ventrite V medially notched (Fig. 12, white arrow), with posterior angles forming a tooth-like projection.

Aedeagus. Parameres elongated, 4 times longer than wide at widest point, gradually widened from the base to the subapical part where it curves to the apex, parameral apex pointed, with sparse, fine, and inconspicuous setae. Median lobe cuspidate apically, with acute apex markedly exceeding apices of parameres, visible part of ventral surface of median lobe depressed, except latero-apical borders protruding from the ventral surface.

Female. Differs from male as follows: posterior margin of ventrite V very weakly curved inward medially, with posterior angles forming a small tooth-like projection (Fig. 11).

Intraspecific variation. (n=5): Total length, 25.8–27.2mm. Apical fascia of the elytra can be completely black or with a yellow spot at the apex of each elytron. Abdomen with a small yellow spot only on ventrite III, II and III or II, III and IV.

Etymology. The specific name is a homage to Pikachu, a fictional monster which this species resembles in its yellow elytra with a black apical band (like the ears of Pikachu).

Biology. Adults were observed flying around and settling on shrubs at about 1.5m above the ground. Activity was observed during the morning between 09:00 am~10:30am.